Lorenzo Kihlgren Grandi is the founding director of the City Diplomacy Lab at Columbia Global Centers | Paris and a lecturer in City Diplomacy at Columbia Undergraduate Global Engagement (UGE | Paris), Sciences Po – PSIA, and École Polytechnique in Paris. His primary expertise and research interests are in the international action of cities and their multilateral response to global challenges, such as sustainable development, migration, and digital transition.
Lorenzo gained extensive practical experience in these areas, serving as an officer of the City of Milan's International Relations Department and as an advisor to the International Association of Francophone Mayors (AIMF). He is currently an advisor on city diplomacy strategies for numerous municipalities, city networks, and international organizations.
Lorenzo received a dual Ph.D. in Political Studies from the École des Hautes Études en Sciences Sociale (EHESS) in Paris and the Libera Università Internazionale degli Studi Sociali "Guido Carli" (LUISS) in Rome.